


A night to remember

by Undreaming



Category: Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats - T. S. Eliot
Genre: AU - magical circus, F/M, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:35:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22745644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Undreaming/pseuds/Undreaming
Summary: (A magical circus AU)---Sometime in the 20th century, before the internet robbed the world of its mysteries, there was a circus. The place was more fantastic than your normal circuses and yet it wasn't, for it felt more real than any other shows. The people there did not seem to be performers. They were so natural on their acts, so enchanting you could not peel your eyes away. This is a story about them, about their lives and their strange powers.
Relationships: Demeter/Munkustrap (Cats), Mr. Mistoffelees/Rum Tum Tugger, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Plato/Victoria (Cats)
Comments: 39
Kudos: 84





	1. Prologue

Sometime in the 20th century, before the internet robbed the world of its mysteries, there was a circus. If you only saw it from the outside, you may have thought it was just your ordinary entertainment - men and women in eccentric costumes, acrobats, wild animals, dancers, singers...anything you'd expect from such a company. You may have bought a ticket and took your child for an evening of harmless fun. Your son may have been excited for clowns with red noses and over-sized shoes. There would be none, but strangely, he wouldn't mind.

But back to the beginning. It was only when you came inside that you realized the circus was different. The said difference was difficult to describe; it was more felt than seen or heard. The place was more fantastic than your normal circuses and yet it wasn't, for it felt more real than any other shows. The people there did not seem to be performers. They were so natural on their acts, so enchanting you could not peel your eyes from them. Children were mesmerized by the show and so were you, against your better judgment. 

There were two acrobats, a man and a woman, both red-haired and with mischievous glint in their eyes. They moved as one, never afraid of the dangers their profession entailed, true daredevils. They seemed to only for each other. 

The white-haired girl moved you to tears with her dance, you could swear you heard whispers of appreciation and encouragement in your head. She hadn't spoken a single word, yet you felt as if she'd given you more meaning than any other person. And when her partner, a disheveled young man, joined her on stage, it wasn't just words emitting from the two, it felt like a thick, warm blanket of contentedness and love spread over the audience.

Their magician, a lithe young man with dark eyes and pale skin performed magic feats so incredible that you couldn't figure out a single trick, and was it even one? His elegant movements were certain and professional, and yet he exhibited child-like wonder at his own magic, for this was the only way to describe it. 

After him, a wild-looking young man appeared. His presence was commanding, and even though his performance was meant to be about animal-taming, you may have felt that he controlled you as well, that if he said "jump", you'd only ask how high and follow through. Fortunately, he didn't order anyone around - the animals seemed to do as he wished, and his untamed, pure energy was contagious. If there ever was a man enjoying life to its fullest, it must have been him. 

There were many, many more. Contortionists, singers, comedians, an old actor telling nostalgic, but hilarious stories of his prime...the show went on and on. You could have stayed there forever. 

And finally, the old, but still majestic man, their director. He spoke, thanked the audience and a memory flashed right behind your eyelids, of an opera singer with voice deep and gentle as velvet, from another time and place.

As you exited the tent, you may have felt different. You may have thought that you have just witnessed something extraordinary, something you would never, ever forget. But as you returned to your normal life, the spell faded and when people asked you how you found the performances, you could hardly remember them. How strange...

This is a story of the members of the circus, their struggles and their everyday lives, the strange talents they have. It begins with a short, black-eyed boy, and his pale sister, both street performers at the time. But more about that only next time. 


	2. The Gifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before he became the Magical Mr. Mistoffelees, he had been Quaxo. Before she became Victoria, she had been "the mute" or "white-hair". And both of them had a "gift".

Before he became the Magical Mr. Mistoffelees, he had been Quaxo, a short, pale and dark-haired boy with eyes too old for his age. He didn't really like being Quaxo in the first place, but it was definitely better than being nobody. And being a nobody, while unimaginable for some people, was frighteningly close to Quaxo and his sister's reality. 

Of course, she probably wasn't his real sister, but he could never be sure, could never verify or disprove their genetic relation. Some days he thought about it and always came to the same conclusion - that even if he could find out, it wouldn't matter. They probably had a much better relationship than most siblings anyway. They had never learned who their parents were, why they were abandoned or if their original families still lived, and perhaps they only met in one of the shelters in which they occasionally spent the night. All that Quaxo knew was that she had been appearing in his earliest memories and he had very few of those without her. He believed it was the same for her. 

Victoria hadn't always been Victoria either - they usually called her "white-hair" (although it was only pale blond, Quaxo thought angrily, she wasn't old or anything, why would they call her that?!) or "the mute" - but she was luckier than Quaxo. One particularly cold day, they were trying to survive the night outside and the sharp autumn wind brought in a page from a newspaper, probably something on an exposition about Queen Victoria (Quaxo never knew what exactly the article was because both of them had only been learning to read, here and there, when the adults felt generous and they helped them with some work in exchange). Not-yet-Victoria caught the page and her tired eyes lit up with excitement that Quaxo had never seen before. She shoved the page in front of his eyes and proceeded to point to the name and to herself, looking at him anxiously, as if she needed the assurance that this could be her, that what she wanted mattered. His teeth were chattering with cold, but he still managed to smile and nod. "Of course," he managed to stutter out. "Anything, anyone you want to be, Victoria." 

As he was crushed in an enthusiastic embrace way too tight for her fragile arms, he felt a rush of happiness and perhaps a slight tinge of envy. If he too could only find out who he wanted to be...

Quaxo never liked to speak out loud, it was against his timid nature, but when the people on the street called her "Mute" again the next day, he straightened his spine and looked them in the eye. "Her name is Victoria. Remember it." 

* * *

Things were never easy for them, but they definitely got more bearable when the siblings found out they could _do things_. Most people could do at least something well - paint, cook, run or make jokes, those things were normal in Quaxo's book. But he and Victoria were different. The things they could do should not be real and, after asking about them on the street and being disbelieved, laughed at or accused of lying, decided together they would never mention them again. Using them, however, was a completely different matter. 

It happened for Victoria first. Whenever she wanted Quaxo's attention, she would jump, point, clap...pretty much anything she could think of. But one day, a careless driver almost ran Quaxo over. The boy was exhausted from another night spent outside so he wasn't paying attention, clapping wouldn't do any good in the noise of traffic and as Victoria was behind him, she could only grab his arm and pull, as hard as she could. She felt _something_ strange happening at that moment, as if something left her. And it wasn't only her imagination, because her brother stared at her in awe, his mouth agape. "Did you just...shout?" he asked her incredulously. 

She shook her head, pointing to her throat. Her voice had never worked, for as long as she could remember. 

"But...but I heard you!" Quaxo blurted out, grabbing her shoulders and examining her, as if the reason for what he had heard would be written on her face. "I heard you say Watch out! And no one else was around...and it..." he paused for a moment, unable to find the right words, "...it sounded like you. Like I've always thought you would sound..." 

Victoria tried. She tried to speak, whisper, she opened her mouth again and again, but no sound would come out. Eventually, she slumped down in Quaxo's arms. 

_Nothing. As I thought,_ she shrugged in disappointment. 

A sudden embrace "I heard that! I heard your words! That wasn't nothing, Victoria, that was...!" He took a step back, watching her with curiosity. "That wasn't speaking. What exactly did you do?"

After the initial shock, the pair slowly found out what exactly happened. As long as Victoria moved or gesticulated, she could project her thoughts, as if she were speaking. At first, she was terrified, and conveyed with numerous sharp movements how what she does isn't natural, that people would be afraid of her, call her a monster...but Quaxo never shared her point of view. He was in awe and kept repeating that what she could do was amazing, unique, that she should never feel ashamed of it. That helped to ease her worries and finally, let her brother convince her to use her gift. She spent weeks practicing with Quaxo, opening her mouth at the same time with the stream of thoughts she was projecting, looking in the mirror and finally, their efforts paid off. Without meticulous observation, it seemed like she was simply talking, although other people made fun of her exaggerated gestures and constant pacing around when she "spoke". 

It was at this time when Victoria started climbing onto the window sill of the local ballet school, balancing on the narrow beam and imitating the dancers. She had always loved to watch them, she and her brother spent so many evenings peeking through curtains or sneaking into theaters, variety shows and dances for both warmth and entertainment, but he had never seen Victoria so eager to learn the skill before. When Quaxo asked her about it, she explained that dancing made it much easier to convey her thoughts, to project what she really wanted to say. Quaxo only nodded and didn't push the topic any more, but the following Christmas, he managed to surprise Victoria with a small, cheap pocket radio, to help her learn in a safer environment, he said. And if he happened to be there for every single dancing practice and watched her with a content smile, well...that was nobody else's business but his. 

* * *

Quaxo's gift manifested several months later. The seasonal work was scarce those days and he was watching a baker unpacking his stand early in the morning. He saw a loaf of bread, close to the edge, and thought how lucky a coincidence it would be if it were to fall off and thrown away by the baker. Then he could pick it up and he and Victoria would have something to eat. And just as he had finished his thought, there was a strong gust of wind out of nowhere, knocking the loaf off the stand and prompting a stream of swearing from the baker. The man looked around, saw Quaxo and waved at him. "You there. Help me finish unpacking this before more wind messes up the whole place, will you? I can give you the loaf plus a few more defective pieces." 

Quaxo couldn't believe his luck, but in the following days, he found out that it wasn't simply good fortune or series of lucky coincidences. As if things around him only waited for his prompt to fall into places he wanted them to be, a tiny nudge and everything suddenly worked out. It took Quaxo a while to find out the pattern, but after a while, he could confidently say that he had a strange power, just like Victoria. The best way he could describe it was that he could make tiny alterations to reality, not that he would ever dare to attempt larger ones - he could make people notice him or miss his presence altogether, by making them stumble at the right moment, look at his reflection, turn their head...he could also swap objects in two different places, make things look less or more appealing, so many small but intriguing things! He would experiment each day and Victoria would watch, clapping her slender hands in excitement. 

It was around this time that Quaxo started considering using his and Victoria's powers to make more money. Nothing illegal, even though the prospect was tempting, Victoria's high moral standards would never allow it and Quaxo had to admit he didn't feel like becoming the bad guy either. Perhaps through an unconscious use of his powers, perhaps as a true coincidence this time, his gaze fell on a discarded leaflet for a shop with tricks, pranks and would-be magical items. 

He nudged Victoria. "Say, sister," he winked at her with a barely visible smile, "how about becoming performers?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I am writing this rather slowly because I want to make sure I don't rush through the story as I normally would, so pardon the long introductory chapters, they are there for a reason. The following chapter will focus on Quaxo and Victoria's career as street performers and move towards them joining the circus. 
> 
> (also, talk to me! Ideas, comments, anything. I love to hear back from my readers)


	3. The magician and the dancer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the siblings mastering their gifts, their journey as performers and the seven kittens that Quaxo produced right out of a hat.

The first weeks were spent practicing. Quaxo would test the limitations of his gift, swapping things in various locations and even managing to conjure up a thing or two, such as sparkles, glitter or tiny floating lights. Surprisingly, these were very easy for Quaxo to produce and even gave him a sense of calm. It seemed that those tiny alterations of reality he could do even included partial changes of how people perceived them; the shabby black suit he bought in a thrift store had looked anything but fitting for a magician, but Quaxo's decision that it should was apparently enough - the black was suddenly darker, the washed-out spots became glittery and flashy. And as for him...well, no one would come and watch a short fifteen year old scrawny boy perform magic. And once again, a minor alteration of reality was enough - Quaxo's unruly black hair and dark eyes, both of which often gave him a closed-off and aloof appearance, were now perceived as mysterious, intriguing. As he was getting more confident in his powers, he started to realize he wasn't keen on _not_ using them, for whatever reason. If this was to be their only shot for a better life, he would go all out. He never offered to alter anything about Victoria though and she too never asked - to him, her dancing was perfection on its own and he would never want her to feel inadequate, that she is not enough. 

Quaxo and Victoria learned very quickly that success had very little to do with actual superiority of skill. Luck, on the other hand, was what decided if they would eat the following evening or not. On those days when fortune decided to look in a different direction, Quaxo's gift would come in handy; a would-be coincidental turn of head to catch a glimpse of Quaxo's latest trick, a lucky stuble of a clumsy child who would become helplessly enchanted once Victoria helped him back on his feet, all those were only a matter of single thought for Quaxo. Slowly, they started rebuilding their lives. The goal was to get off the street and have a roof and a bed of their own, he decided.

The beginnings were difficult, but the siblings persisted. They would always find a spot during a busy time in the city, set the stage and begin their performance. They soon figured out that the best way to make people notice them was to focus on children - they were enthusiastic and ready to find a spark of magic in all mundane things. From there, it was easy to work their charm on the parents as well. When they gathered enough attention, Quaxo would clear his throat and greet the audience. 

The boy honestly hated talking in front of people, even more so in a loud voice, but as there was no other option, he had to learn - learn how to capture the onlookers, how to sell his strange new power to them. Victoria kept commenting on his performance, _make it more grand, more dramatic, more exciting!_ , and even though he felt like a fool at first, he had to admit that as time passed, he felt more and more at ease with his exaggerated gestures and magical exclamations. It was like acting out a beloved role, being someone he always felt he should become. After the greeting, he blew colourful sparks at the watching children, then made them disappear with a snap of his fingers. Then he made one of the parents take off his hat and produced a long, rainbow-coloured scarf from it, which he promptly handed over to Victoria for her dancing performance. 

The children's eyes lit up as his sister gracefully moved with the music, and Quaxo felt something swelling in him, a strange sense of belonging. He added a trick here and there, changing the pattern of her dress, conjuring a shadow which was moving independently from her...small, but impressive things. Sometimes he didn't really plan them, they just happened on their own, leaving him as surprised as the onlooking children - he would lean against a wall and accidentally left a sparkly outline on it. When he sneezed, glitter would appear and cover the nearest member of the audience. He even created a local shower (a very local one. A man who catcalled Victoria during her performance found himself under a small cloud of rain which followed him wherever he went. Quaxo had no idea how to make it disappear and frankly, he didn't care to either). He wondered how many sides of his gift he had yet to discover. 

* * *

Over several years, slowly but surely, their reputation grew. There was a small crowd waiting for them every day when they came to perform, some adults even approached the pair to request their presence at children's parties. Those were the moments Quaxo felt the happiest - sharing his unique power with others, their eyes full of wonder that mirrored his own, as he still could not believe that it was him doing these things, him putting smiles on their faces. Their quality of life was also improving, they finally managed to save enough money to rent a small apartment and the first night spent in a proper bed they could call their own sent Victoria shedding happy tears and even Quaxo, who often made playful jabs at her for being too emotional, found himself suppressing a sniffle. 

After their performance became a regular and welcome occurrence on the street, something incredible happened. A man approached the pair when they were packing up their equipment and made them an offer - they could become performers at his club, giving them a steady income. Quaxo and Victoria did not think twice - how could they pass on an opportunity like that? 

* * *

The club became their main source of income from then on, though they still performed on the street and at children's parties. The atmosphere there was usually nice and the owner didn't ask too many unnecessary questions, such as why Victoria would sometimes forget herself and "speak" without moving her lips. There were also some interesting regulars who would come and watch them perform; a number of parents with children that followed them from the street to support them, a couple of skeptics who wanted nothing more than to prove they knew how Quaxo's tricks worked (and obviously failed every time, which fortunately peersuaded them to visit again and again). There were also several love-struck young men who stared at Victoria as if she had been one of the seven wonders of the world. The most interesting ones were two men that never sat together, but always attended the same performance. One of them was in his late twenties or early thirties and, as Quaxo noted with amusement, looked like a rebel. He had a wild mane of light brown hair and always wore a leather jacket with a furry collar. He seemed laid-back and easily bored, but his eyes were sharp and never left the siblings. The other one was even stranger; he was very tall, thin and whenever their eyes met, Quaxo could never hold the gaze for long. It was intense, like staring at the sun. He too watched the performances with an unnerving focus. 

Other than these strange audience members, the siblings were rather happy about their situation and their days fell into a pleasant routine. One day, they found a litter of kittens in the club's backyard, tiny and helpless creatures, apparently abandoned by their mother. They asked around, tried to get someone to adopt them, to no avail. Finally, Victoria refused to leave them in the cold and gathered them in her coat, taking them to the dressing room. 

_I want to help them, she gestured towards them, but..._

"Yeah...but." Quaxo sighed heavily. They both knew that even though they made enough money to be comfortable, they could not afford to submit the kittens to their uncertain lifestyle. No one knew how long their employment would last. "I asked everyone. The boss is allergic. Everyone either can't have them in their flat because of landlord rules, can't afford to have one or doesn't have a permanent address." 

Victoria tapped her fingers impatiently, then nudged Quaxo's arm. _Maybe someone in the audience? Those people are usually well off, living in their own houses. We know some of them from the children's parties. If you're clever about it..._

Her brother groaned and closed his eyes. "Clever about it? No pressure there, Victoria...the only fortunate thing is, I have two more hours to think it through." 

She smiled and ruffled his hair. _I know you won't let them down._

* * *

Despite his complaining and grumbling, Quaxo _was_ clever. By six thirty, when their performance was about to begin, he had a pretty good idea of what he wanted to achieve. Defining a goal was crucial, and once he set his mind on something, he was able to follow through. This evening, his goal was to get all seven kittens new owners and good homes. And to prove that Victoria was right in placing her trust in him, of course.

As always, there was a number of children in the audience. He chose a tiny girl in the first row who seemed lonely, standing apart from the group of chatting kids and shyly glancing in their direction. _This one could work,_ he thought, _now only to persuade the parents_. He let the kittens rest in the dressing room he shared with Victoria, but not before bestowing some of his magic on them. 

He bowed and waited for the noise to quiet down, noting with slight annoyance that the two strange men were present yet again. The rebellious-looking one seemed to be surrounded by people he was either graciously ignoring or, if they invaded his personal space, shooing away impatiently. The tall and thin one was alone in a corner, alone. "Ladies and gentlemen!" he began his speech, "thank you for joining us this lovely evening. Alas, I find myself needing your help tonight. As you know," he made his voice go quieter and leaned down towards the entranced children, "I use magic to entertain you. And magic, ladies and gentlemen, can be unpredictable! It can even be dangerous!" Waiting for the gasps of horror to quiet down, he continued. "But do not fear! You can help me to get my magic under control again! I can transfer the overflowing magic to you, saving us all from harm and perhaps even leaving something magical in your possession!" 

"How can we help?!" called a young boy, hopping up and down to be noticed. "Let us help you, mister magician!" The other children joined in, drowning Quaxo's voice in their enthusiastic chattering. 

The magician silenced them with a kind, but strict gesture. "I am glad you asked, young man! I will need an assistant, but not everyone will do, no. I need someone caring and responsible, someone who will accept any form the magic takes!" He scanned the audience, pretended to carefully judge each child before pointing to the shy girl. "You, young lady. Would you like to join me on stage?" When he saw her hesitation, he smiled at her and held out his hand. "There is nothing to be afraid of. My magic has never hurt anyone."

As soon as the girl was on stage, Quaxo quietly took a very deep breath. This was the decisive moment. "Now, young lady. Are your parents here with you?" When she nodded, he smiled at her. "Good. Because no matter what form my magic takes today, you can take it home with you. This is not the first time I have had to transfer its piece to someone else, you see. The last time, it took a shape of a cactus!" he lied through his teeth and waited for the children to stop giggling. "Before then, it was a swarm of butterflies. Once it was a parakeet! Magic is energy and therefore it can only manifest as a living creature or a plant, do you understand?"

The girl nodded and Quaxo felt a tinge of pride because her shy expression finally gave way to excitement. She seemed almost hopeful. "Yes, mister magician!" 

"Splendid! Now, if by any chance your parents do not approve of you keeping a piece of my magic, that is absolutely fine. I will just have to hold on to it for a little longer, for the magical creature or plant needs to be safe and happy, otherwise it could have unwelcome consequences! But these pieces of magic make wonderful companions. For instance, the parakeet still lives with another young lady who helped me during a performance and it always makes her days brighter. Now, could I ask your parents for the permission to proceed?"

The little girl turned towards the audience and joined her hands in a pleading gesture. "Please, daddy? Can we?"

A man near the doorway chuckled, seeming a little nervous. "As long as it isn't an elephant or something like that." Not really the most enthusiastic answer, but Quaxo would take it. 

The magician bowed and turned his attention back to the girl. "Thank you, kind sir. Now, young lady. Please stand on the opposite side of the stage. My dear sister," he gestured to Victoria who emerged from the backstage, "is carrying two top hats. I will keep one and you will hold the other one, yes?" He waited for her confirmation before he continued. "Hold it in both hands, like this. I will pour my magic into this hat now, slowly..." He held the in one hand, the other one moving over it and producing sparkling, colourful glitter that shined brightly in the stage lights. "Close your eyes, please. And when I say the magic word, reach into the hat to receive a piece of my magic. Ready?" The audience went completely quiet as Quaxo circled his hand in a magical gesture around the rim. "Presto!" he called out. 

The young girl squeaked in surprise. "It's heavier!" Reaching into the hat, she gasped in surprise and (as Quaxo noted with a sigh of relief), open affection - in her arms, there was a tiny cat kitten with glitter sparks all over its fur. It was black all over except for its paws - those were white, almost as if it was wearing socks. Its round eyes were innocent and charming, irresistible for children and adults alike. She stared at the kitten in awe before nuzzling it with affection and jumping off the stage, running to her father. "Daddy! Daddy, look! Look at the magical kitten!" When the father caved in and allowed his daughter to keep the tiny creature, Quaxo knew he had just won. 

From then on, things were easy. He only had to announce that he still had overflowing magic he needed to transfer and almost all children in the audience immediately started shouting over each other, wanting to be the one to get a magical companion. Quaxo always chose the more lonely or shier ones and repeated the process with them, making sure the parents were okay with their children participating and adopting a pet. The kittens didn't need much of his magic to be enchanting - they were tiny, cute and innocent, all that Quaxo had to do was calm them down and make sure their coat would be shiny and glittery when they were pulled out of the hat. Perhaps the magic would fade as they would grow older, but by then, the children will love them for who they are, not who they appear to be. 

He had the children stand in different parts of the club, the ovations getting louder and louder as the distance increased. Once, the child even held the hat together with his father, but Quaxo wasn't worried - as long as he knew where to swap the kitten, he was confident (he had been swapping them with the glitter poured into the hat, he assumed Victoria's coat would be impossible to wash by now, the sparkles absolutely everywhere). Finally, he pulled out the seventh kitten and announced that his magic is all under control now, thanked everyone and proceeded to conclude the show with a few tricks, the audience's all-time favourites. 

After the show ended, Quaxo made his way back to the dressing room and collapsed on the nearest chair. Victoria was right behind him, practically glowing. _That was amazing, brother! I knew you could do it, you were amazing! And all those kittens have homes now, did you see the way those children looked at them? They will definitely be loved._ Then, noticing he was paler than usual, she frowned. _Are you alright?_

Quaxo was about to answer that yes, of course, but then he stopped himself. "I...feel a bit drained," he admitted. "I have never done so many swapping tricks in a row, not to mention with living things. But...I'm glad it worked out," he smiled at her and relaxed. 

_Me too_ , she beamed at him. _Oh, by the way! I almost forgot. A man from the audience, you know, the tall and scary one? He gave me this._ She handed him a handwritten note. It said: 

**Mr. Magician and Ms. Dancer,**

**I have thoroughly enjoyed your performance today. You may have noticed I have been observing your talents for a while. After today, I am absolutely convinced that your unique talents are exactly what I am looking for. I would very much like to meet you after your performance tomorrow, if you allow me to. I am certain you will find the offer I am about to make interesting and mutually beneficial.**

**With sincere regards,**

**Macavity**

"Strange," commented Quaxo and re-read the note again and again, as if it would start making more sense. "What do you think he is offering?" 

Victoria shrugged. _Who knows? We'll see tomorrow!_

* * *

In front of the club, the other visitor frowned. He saw Macavity hand the dancer a paper, which meant his time was running out. He had to act quickly. Turning his back on the club, he took long, fast strides towards the edge of the town. Munkustrap and Old Deutoronomy definitely had to be informed of the recent events. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, this chapter almost killed me, it kept stretching on and on! As always, thanks a lot for reading, please drop a comment if you have any comments or thoughts!


	4. One of us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tugger reports back to his family and friends and further plans are made.

While Quaxo and Victoria were resting and preparing for the next day, the rebellious looking man from the audience was in a hurry, ignoring everyone and everything in his way. Surprisingly, everyone on the streets seemed to respect that he was not to be disturbed - they would move towards the man, as if they were drawn to him, and then quickly reconsidered, turning away. Even stranger was that the man seemed to be counting on it, as if their reactions were something given. 

After he reached the edge of the town, he took a turn to a large circus tent. He carelessly waved at the young man guarding the entrance in a silent greeting and, once he had entered the manege, shouted on top of his lungs. "Hey, I'm back!" 

A group of performers gathered around him within seconds. A tall man, slightly older than the one who had just arrived but with similar facial features, narrowed his eyes in displeasure. "No need to disturb the whole company, Tugger. We're here and waiting for your report." 

"That's a fancy way to call it, Munk," Tugger snickered and made himself comfortable in the nearest seat, stretching his long legs. He blatantly ignored the critical gaze the other man gave him. 

After some time of accusatory silence and glaring, Munkustrap capitulated. "Whatever you want to call it. Just tell us. Are they like us?" 

Tugger yawned. "Pretty sure they are. The woman does...something strange, I don't know for sure yet, but could be telepathy. She's good at hiding it though - she always moves her lips along with it and it seems like normal speech. Except when you happen to "accidentally" scare her by appearing just round the corner when she doesn't expect it," he gave a toothy grin, one that Munkustrap did not return. "So unless you consider an apology transmitted right into your brain without a single movement of lips normal, then yeah, she'd definitely fit in with us." 

Before Munkustrap could continue, another man with a visible pigment stain over his left eye asked impatiently, "And the boy?" 

"Not really a boy anymore, Alonzo. I know we started watching him when he was younger, he's adult now. Anyway, I'd originally thought he was just a crafty street magician, but he's definitely also one of us - he slipped during today's performance. I watched him and I'm pretty sure he can teleport stuff, though he could even do more, I guess. He can do some pretty amazing things." Even though he did his best to keep a lazy, bored tone to his voice, Tugger realized to his own surprise that he was actually impressed with the magician. He had the audience exactly where he wanted them to be. And he used his gift so naturally and flawlessly that it was a true joy to watch him perform. Him and his sister would definitely be beneficial to the circus. 

Munkustrap interrupted his thoughts before they could get too far away from his original line of thinking. "Should we visit the two, then? Maybe tomorrow?" 

The Rum Tum Tugger stood up and, considering it, slowly shook his head.. "That might be too late, Munk." 

The other man took a sharp breath, rolling his fingers into a tight fist as if he was getting ready to defend himself. "Macavity?"

"Yeah. I hoped the Spectacular siblings, which is by the way a really wacky name, would turn out to be just another entertaining fraud and that he'd be wasting his time. But I'd bet he also noticed that the magician is a real deal today." He became more serious now, talking to Munkustrap without any provocations or snide remarks. "I saw him scribbling a note after the performance. And you know Macavity. No delays in his plans."

"Oh great," Munkustrap sighed and closed his eyes. "Another night visit. Nothing builds trust like knocking at someone's window after midnight and telling them their lives and careers are in danger."

"But it worked so well the last time," Tugger snickered and hooked his fingers under his belt, leaning back in a relaxed posture. 

Munkustrap did not find that funny at all. "If I remember correctly, brother, the last time we did that, Jemima almost shattered our eardrums because she thought we were there to ambush her." But his critical tone only made Tugger bark out a short laughter.

"Yeah. Let's not repeat that. This guy teleported seven live kittens during his show. I'd hate to end up as a prop during his next performance. So, if our father agrees..." 

All eyes turned to the tall, majestic figure sitting in their midst. The old man radiated natural respect that even Tugger wasn't immune to; one could easily imagine him in his younger years, with kind, but commanding presence. He appeared to be lost in thought. 

"Old Deuteronomy?" Alonzo asked in a quiet voice, almost afraid to disturb him. 

The patriarch took a deep breath and exhaled, slowly, to get more time to gather his thoughts. "Normally, I would support going to recruit these promising members for our family during daytime. But we cannot afford to lose more gifted youth to him, not just by waiting too long." He gestured towards Tugger and Munkustrap. "My sons, please go and explain to them the danger they are in. Be gentle, but persuasive. And be honest. We cannot let those two underestimate Macavity." 

Munkustrap immediately rose up to his feet. "As you wish, father. We'll report back to you when we're done." 

"Good," Old Deuteronomy smiled at both of them. "Now, the rest of you, go get some sleep. We will let you know in the morning," he waved at the rest of the performers, sending them away and slowly standing up, with difficulties. Giving the two men one last affectionate look, he too left to rest for a while. 

As Munkustrap grabbed his coat and rubbed his temples in an attempt to calm himself, Tugger nudged his side. "Another night adventure for the two of us! Aren't you glad?" 

"Practically beaming with joy," his brother grumbled and rushed Tugger into the night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know, the updates are slow. It's a bit difficult to translate all the characters into a circus setting while keeping the story in mind. I'm pretty sure I've dug my own grave with this fanfiction because it's not even properly started and I already have material for at least 20 more chapters. But hey, at least you'll get to read something. Thank you reading my rambling and drop a comment if you feel like it, comments are an author's best friend.


	5. A Late Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quaxo and Victoria are paid a very late visit.

It had been past midnight already when Victoria woke Quaxo up by shaking his shoulder, wildly gesticulating towards the door. Fortunately, he hadn't been fully asleep yet - the magician was a heavy sleeper and he found it difficult to focus on anything or anyone after waking up. At first, he couldn't understand what was happening, why Victoria would interrupt those precious few hours of sleep, but then he heard it too - a quiet, but definitely insistent knocking on the door. 

He was seriously considering going back to sleep, but his sister's worried expression chased all the exhaustion and laziness away. Reluctantly, Quaxo crawled from under the blanket. "I'll take care of it," he smiled at her and ruffled her hair. Barefoot and dishevelled, he made his way towards the door.

As soon as he opened it, only partially, to see what was so important that it couldn't wait till morning, a strong hand flung the door wide open and he stammered out a complaint as a familiar figure, much taller than he was, burst inside their small apartment. "Finally, what took you so long?"

Quaxo blinked. And again. This was one crazy dream. "Huh? What do you - how do you even..." But then his tired eyes finally focused on the intruder. "It's you!" he blurted out and pointed an accusatory finger at the tall man. His wild mane of hair and provocative smirk were unmistakable. "You always come to our performances and sit at the back."

"Oooh, flattered that you noticed me," the stranger grinned and assumed a posture that was, even to Quaxo's inexperienced eyes, rather...suggestive. "The name's Tugger," he waved at both siblings.

Victoria's eyes were huge and a little bit too focused on those tight pants, Quaxo realised with a tinge of annoyance. "Quaxo. This is my sister Victoria. So what-!"

But of course, Tugger did not let him finish. He completely ignored Quaxo's unfinished question and flung himself on their kitchen chair, stretching his long legs. "Enchanted," he winked at Victoria. "Look, I'm pretty sure you have a ton of questions and all, but I'm really not in a talking mood, so why don't you two just sit down and wait for my ever so responsible big brother to talk you through it?" His tone was self-assured, as if there was no doubt that they would follow his instructions.

And to Quaxo's disbelief, Victoria actually nodded and sat down with a content smile, made herself comfortable and started swinging her feet back and forth, completely relaxed. Before he could ask her what on earth she was doing, why would she listen to this stranger, a small voice started nagging in his head. _Maybe he's right, you know. Maybe it would be better to just sit down and wait, after all, you're tired, he probably doesn't want to talk anyway...so why don't you join your sister? It will be much easier..._

He found his will weakening and prepared to join Victoria on the bed, when he had another, very simple thought. _Why? Why should I?_ He froze mid-step, torn between the urge to obey, to fulfill Tugger's wish, and something inside him that kept the single word - _why_. _Say it. Why? I don't want to, he invaded our home, our privacy, so why should we abide by is rules?_

_I don't want to follow what he says without a single thought, like Victoria did._

And just like that, the persuasive voice in his head nagging him to obey was gone. Tugger watched in awe and rather comical confusion as Quaxo straightened his spine and frowned, his dark eyes staring daggers. The older man gaped at him as if no one had defied him ever before.

_"_ And why should I do that?!" the magician snapped and yanked Victoria towards him, to keep her out of Tugger's reach. "You barge in, act like you are the king or something. Our place, our rules! Now speak, what do you want? And sis..." he turned towards Victoria and gently shook her shoulders. The blank and content look in her eyes frightened him. "Snap out of it!"

Finally, some recognition crept into her features. _B-but...!_ she threw her hands up defensively. Her gaze went to Tugger and Quaxo, back and forward, as if she could not decide whose instructions to follow. _He told me to sit down and wait!_

"Yeah, I definitely told her to do that!" Tugger chimed in. "Also lady, don't forget to move your mouth during your telepathy thingy. I mean, I expected it, but anyone else would freak out. But back to the more important thing..." He rose up from the chair and walked towards Quaxo, poking his forehead inquisitively, ignoring the annoyed glare. "How did you do that?"

Quaxo took one step back, dragging confused Victoria behind him. "Do what? If you can't be polite, be at least coherent!" Only then had he realised what Tugger said and felt panic start creeping in. "Wait, what do you mean by- I mean, she definitely speaks normally, so-!"

Tugger snorted and imitated a talking gesture with his hand. "Yeah, cut that crap. I went to your shows, I know what she does. That's fine, I mean, most of us are like that. Have a quirk or two. So again. How did you do it? How did you say no?"

"I didn't say no, I said why!" Quaxo spat out, exasperated. "Why is it such a surprise to you that people don't obey your every single whim?! More importantly, what do you mean most of us?" He was intrigued now, despite having every reason to feel endangered by this stranger. Meanwhile, Victoria gave up on trying to find out the middle ground between the two men and sat on the floor in front of them, causing Quaxo to sigh and run his fingers through the already dishevelled hair. "And whatever you are doing, stop brainwashing my sister!"

It was Tugger's turn to groan now. While wildly gesturing in her general direction, his eyes never left Quaxo's. "It's not like I do it on purpose! But to appease you... hey, young lady! Get up, will you? And make yourself comfortable...please," he added reluctantly when he saw that the magician's frown did anything but disappear. After Victoria was safely seated on the bed, he crossed his arms on his chest and leaned forward to examine Quaxo more closely. "Curious. You really are a strange one, aren't you? I've seen my share of weirdos, hell, we have twins who share control over each other's body, another pair that keeps talking telepathically because apparently, using your mouth to communicate is way too boring, a girl who can shatter glass with her voice...but you, I've never seen anything similar. What exactly do you do?"

The anger in Quaxo's gaze was replaced by confusion. "What...do I do?"

Tugger nodded. "Yeah, what is your power, gift, weirdness, whatever you want to call it? I saw you teleport stuff, well, those kittens. That's how I found out you're one of us, I saw the exact moment the ball of fluff miraculously appeared in your hat, but then...you do other things, don't you? Swap things in different places. Make people do some things you want, perhaps?"

"I wouldn't go that far." Quaxo felt like he was trapped in a very, very strange dream. Talking about his gift with someone else, and on top of that, a rock star-looking guy he'd just met, that was unimaginable. Or at least, had been. "I can cause small changes in what's happening, but it's nothing about controlling people. More like...chance, I guess? If there is a newspaper in your way, for instance, I can get it in your face with an accidental gust of wind...and similar things."

"Then you would be a great asset to our troupe," said a deeper voice from the doorway.

Tugger spread his arms in exaggerated relief. "My dearly missed brother arrives at last! Be so kind and take over the talking part of this, yeah?"

Quaxo blinked, looking back and forth between the two men. The newcomer shared some facial features that were similar to Tugger, but looked more solemn and responsible. His hair was darker than his brother's, cooler-toned, and had a few streaks of silver, even though his face was not that old. "Now there's two of you? Oh great." But in spite of himself, he started feeling calmer, less agitated - yet he should be! There were two strange men in their apartment, way past midnight, and yet he did not feel endangered. It made no sense.

The newcomer pressed his lips into a thin line and turned towards Tugger with a deeply critical gaze. "Take over the talking part? That was the plan, Tugger, before you accidentally - or at least that's how I assume you'll present it - left me in front of a wrong door and ran away to...here. I hope you haven't completely ruined our reputation by now. Has he?" he asked the siblings.

_Not at all!_ Victoria smiled at the same moment Quaxo mumbled "Pretty close."

The stranger exhaled and rubbed his temples to calm himself. "Then I hope I'll be able to minimise the damage. My name, or at least what I go by in our troupe, is Munkustrap. You've already met my unruly younger brother, Rum Tum Tugger. From the very little I've heard during my arrival, my brother has already spoken to you about your powers, while also mentioning that you are not the only ones that are...different. We came to visit you as representatives of a certain circus that specialises in hiring of people with unique talents like yours."

"What he means to say," Tugger interjected, "was that it's a shelter for people like you. Not just an employment."

The siblings looked at each other questioningly. _Um...why would people like us need a shelter?_ Victoria asked. _We can earn enough to get by, as you know._

Munkustrap's eye twitched when Tugger spoke, but otherwise he remained his composure. "An excellent question, one that was about to be answered a bit later, but obviously, someone here loves to make a mess out of any conversation plan. Allow me to explain - it is not that we think that you need financial aid or something similar. What my brother meant was that most of people with gifts like ours, it can be...difficult to maintain friendships or relationships with others. Mostly because we feel like we have to hide what is so natural for us." He smiled for the first time, and Quaxo found himself being drawn to this man, trusting him. Once again, not very rational, and yet...

"That...might be true," he admitted reluctantly, glancing towards Victoria.

_I can't begin to explain how tiring it is to pretend I speak normally,_ she nodded, fiddling with her nightgown. _It's not that I feel bad about doing what I do, I just...don't want to explain. Or be known for it._

Munkustrap's smile remained, calming and understanding. "Exactly. You are not alone in this, even though it might have felt like it for a long time. What we do is use our powers to perform, so however extraordinary they are, we can show them to the public, masquerading them as tricks or skills. And, being a circus, we are constantly on the move, so there is no risk of being revealed for who we really are."

Victoria sniffled and Quaxo knew right then that Munkustrap won her over. _Oh. That does sound wonderful!_

_"_ Yeah...it sounds good," he admitted begrudgingly. "Too good, even. But that doesn't explain why you had to come at this hour. You could have easily approached us after our performance tomorrow. Care to explain that?"

He noticed, with slightly mischievous satisfaction, that the brothers looked at each other uneasily. There was silence for a moment, but then it was Tugger who spoke. "Because I saw you get that note. And before you start making assumptions, it's not because the guy is our competition and we wanted to make sure we get to you two first. It's way worse."

_How do you know that Mr. Macavity contacted us?_ Victoria asked, disturbed by what she'd just heard. _And that he offered us a job?_

"Because that's what he always does," Tugger said, and perhaps Quaxo was only imagining it, but wasn't there a bitter undertone to those words?

Munkustrap quickly interrupted his brother. "That is unfortunately true," he admitted, his smile now gone. "We were originally planning to approach you later this week, but when Tugger saw him sending you that note, we knew we had to act quickly. Macavity isn't our competition, although he spends significant time tracking down those with gifts. But where we offer a home, he only takes." He leaned towards the siblings, his tone quiet and serious. "Macavity, even if you may find it hard to believe, runs a business that seems completely innocent at first. A small favour here and there, nothing major, nothing to worry about. But slowly, inevitably, you start getting deeper and deeper. Eventually, you do something...questionable. And that's what Macavity wants, because then he can hold it over you. Forever."

"But..." Quaxo whispered, "...why us? Why would he be after two club performers? We're nobody." But he knew the answer before it came.

"Because he knows what you can do. Macavity collects those with special talents for his criminal activities, uses their gifts for his own benefit. And just like us, he is very good at distinguishing tricks from actual unique powers," Munkustrap answered.

_Then we can just refuse his offer!_ Victoria stepped in, her movements restricted now - she wrapped her arms around her chest, as if the mere description made her feel unsafe. _If we don't join him, he can't make us do anything bad._

Tugger chuckled, a dry and unhappy sound. "A few people had that idea already. Didn't go so well for them."

Munkustrap nodded. "Unfortunately, that isn't an option. Macavity doesn't leave anything to chance. If you were to refuse, he would use his influence to make sure that working for him is eventually the only option left for you. He excels at that, I am afraid. But," he quickly added, forcing the smile back on his face, "we have stolen enough of your time already. Please, think about our offer, I'm certain you're very confused and that some of our claims must have sounded rather far-fetched. If you want to meet our troupe before making a decision, you're most welcome to do so. Here is our card." He handed Victoria an old-fashioned card and bowed his head slightly. "We would love to hear from you, no matter how you decide."

His words prompted Tugger to stretch his back and head towards the door. "Right. It's getting late and all that. Well then, hope to see you both later! And you, magician boy!" He pointed at Quaxo with an attractive grin. "You still owe me an explanation how you resisted my charm. I'm not forgetting that."

And just like that, they were both gone. Quaxo and Victoria stood in the suddenly too quiet room, speechless.

_I...think I may need to sleep on this before I can think about what just happened. What are they even called..._

"Good question." Quaxo took the card from her hands and turned it around. "Jellicle Circus? What a ridiculous name! Just like Rum Tum Tugger, Munkustrap and....ugh. It's a circus alright!"

_But it sounded really nice!_ Victoria smiled and, when Quaxo's frown did not disappear, sighed and pushed him towards the bed. _That was enough excitement for one evening! Sleep! And we'll talk about it the first thing in the morning. No arguing!_ she added when Quaxo opened his mouth to protest.

"...I'm really hoping this all was just a dream, you know," he muttered in a disgruntled voice when she pulled the blanket over him and decisively switched off the light.

And as he was falling asleep, he felt Victoria's voice in his head. _I'm hoping it wasn't._

* * *

On the pavement outside, Tugger grinned and nudged Munkustrap's shoulder. "That went rather well, eh?"

The taller man groaned and rolled his eyes. "Please, shut up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience, this chapter took me rather long to write. Also, I would kill for a comment. Is it a needy thing to say? Yes. Do I still care for your ideas and opinions? Hell yes. So...don't make me kill for that comment. Please.


	6. Persuasion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quaxo and Victoria decide to visit the circus the morning after the night visit. Tugger is not a morning person.

Tugger, being a night owl through and through, wasn't really keen on being woken up before the sun had risen high above the circus tent. If he was woken up earlier, for reasons beyond his control and liking, he asked for two things - a good reason and a gentle approach. The morning after his and Munkustrap's visit of the Spectacular siblings, he was granted only one of those - the reason was, indeed, good, but the approach was...well. What else to expect from his brother?

The tall performer was just having the most wonderful dream, something along the lines of lying on a beach, on his own, no fans, no squealing, no unexpected hugging, when a too familiar voice interrupted the pleasant vision and yanked him back to the decidedly less comfortable reality of his caravan. "Rise and shine, dear brother of mine!" A second later, the curtains were drawn apart, no warning, no gentle coaxing, just a sharp sound and even sharper light.

Tugger grumbled and rolled over to his other side, covering his face with a pillow. "You monster. You cruel, cruel monster. How could you do that to a member of your family?"

Munkustrap chuckled and sat beside Tugger on his surprisingly wide bed. Count on the younger man, a known lover of long and comfortable sleep, to squeeze the widest bed possible into the caravan and seemingly defy the rules of space. "Why so glum? Our night mission was a success, you know. The two promising recruits were intrigued by your presentation and decided to visit us the first thing in the morning. They are currently at the entrance, Jenny dragged them over for a cup of tea. But they will definitely want to see the rest of our troupe and who better to show them around than the man who persuaded them to give this humble establishment a chance?" If Tugger didn't know any better, he'd suspect Munkustrap of being slightly mischievous.

"Good for you, oh mighty persuader...persuasion person...whatever." The pillow was not yet removed and the caravan owner was definitely falling asleep again. "Great job, Munk. 10/10. Now go and impress them even more."

But of course, the cruelties had no end. A firm hand yanked the pillow off Tugger's face and exposed his face to the morning light, bright and unforgiving. "Nothing of the sort, Tugger. You were the major factor of our success. In fact, you did so well on your own! You should consider ditching me more often. So off you go and be even more charming than you are now."

Still half blinded by the light, Tugger opened one eye and squinted at Munkustrap. "When did you get a sense of humour?"

Munkustrap smiled and stood up, preparing to leave. "I believe it was born when I saw you gaping at that young magician for not being impressed by you. Ah, one of my most cherished memories."

And before Tugger could react, the heartless man stole his blanket as well and not even a heartfelt "you're dead to me" helped. It truly was a horrible morning.

* * *

A lot of grumbling and swearing later, Rum Tum Tugger finally emerged from his caravan and made his way towards the circus entrance. Even Jenny's cheerful "Good morning, sunshine!" did very little to improve his mood and neither did seeing the two smiling siblings (well, the girl was definitely smiling, but the magician's face would hardly qualify as a smile - the corners of his mouth were very, very slightly turned upwards and his dark eyes never stopped watching their surroundings. A suspicious guy).

He leaned against a nearby tree and gave a slight wave at Jennyanydots, a mild-looking lady in her forties or fifties. Her copper hair, possibly but very elegantly dyed, glimmered in the morning sun. "I hope you slept well, dear," she winked at him. She had a squirrel sitting on her knee and two surprisingly tame pigeons on her shoulders. Given how calm the siblings looked, they probably had been explained what Jenny's gift was - everyone called it talking to animals, but Jenny insisted it was more of a telepathic connection and feelings exchange. Anyway, animals of all kinds loved her and she returned the love tenfold more.

"Morning Jenny. Spectacular siblings." He may have sounded a tiny bit sarcastic there, but no man should function on so little sleep. "Early birds, are you? I didn't expect to see you at this ungodly hour." And to Tugger's mild annoyance, the magician's smile visibly widened.

"Not at all, Tugger," he assured him while sipping his tea. "But your and Munkustrap's description of this place was so vivid and enchanting that we simply had to come and see as soon as we woke up."

_We didn't sleep that well,_ Victoria admitted, silencing a yawn that almost found its way to her lips. _We had too much to think about._

Tugger sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Yeah, well...if you didn't come, we would've found you ourselves. We usually don't get to share all the news in one go, otherwise people just...stare. And doubt. And then it ends poorly."

Noticing the confused glance the brother and sister exchanged, Jenny shot Tugger a disapproving look. "Really, dear. You make it sound so dramatic. No need to scare our new friends away." Turning back to the siblings, she attempted to reassure them. "You have to forgive him, my dears, he is always grouchy in the morning. But he is right. There needs to be a...slight follow-up, I'm afraid. There is something people usually don't react well to, especially when being visited by two strange men in the night."

Victoria's eyes were huge, going back and forth between Jenny and Tugger. _What is it?_

Quaxo was quiet for a while, staring into his tea. So many things seemed to be going through his head, Tugger was almost concerned he'd just grab his sister and leave. Perhaps it would have been better to tell them everything in one go, but with the past experience...who could have known there would be a single person who didn't appreciate a careful, gentle approach?

The dark eyes finally left the dark liquid, darting back to the tall performer with a surprising directness. "Well, since we're already here, we might as well hear all of it. What's so disturbing you couldn't have told us yesterday?"

Jenny patted his hand in a calming manner. "Please understand, Quaxo. It is not...disturbing as such, but some people, especially those who learn for the first time they are not the only ones with...certain gifts...do not take well being told that they may not be able to handle something. After all, we are all rather special. But some...in different ways."

_We have already heard of Macavity,_ Victoria turned towards Jenny, confused. _We already know he's dangerous._

Tugger sighed and the roll of his eyes would probably have been irritating, if he wasn't so tense. "Yeah, you...kinda don't. Not all of it, anyway." Silencing the complaint that was already making its way to Quaxo's lips, he continued. "Look, he runs a criminal group, that's what you already know. Quite a few of our kind are involved, that's what we also told you. But Macavity doesn't need to threaten to get his way."

Victoria was still frowning, not fully following, but Quaxo took a sharp breath and muttered, "He's one of us, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is," Jenny nodded. The reassuring smile left her face for a moment, making it look older and more tired. "Look, dears. From what I have heard, you know from your own experience that our gifts can often influence others, directly or indirectly. You," she turned to Quaxo, "can influence your surroundings. Tugger here is one of those who affect people's behaviour, they are more...willing to do what he wants without him even saying it. Such gifts can be dangerous if used selfishly. And Macavity has one that serves him too well in his activities. He has the gift of persuasion."

"For instance," Tugger interjected, "let's say that you go and meet him after your performance. You may know all these things, you are forewarned, you think you can just say no to him. Except when he speaks...things other people had told you don't mean anything anymore. Because he sounds so sincere, so bloody caring," he spat those words out with so much venom Victoria tensed in her seat. "In the end, you join him because you trust him. That is the danger of meeting him. Some manage to escape after while - he stops using his gift on them when they are no longer useful, because he finds it entertaining, to crush people's illusions. What a guy."

"Which is yet another one of his persuasion tactics," sighed Jenny. "If he cannot persuade you fully, he just uses his gift on others in your surroundings. I can't count all those who lost their jobs or homes because Macavity wanted them in his...group. They eventually join, either due to his persuasion or lack of options."

Tugger suddenly left his spot and leaned over the three of them. "Which is why you can't meet him today! You may have been able to somehow cancel my gift," he looked at Quaxo, who visibly froze due to the unexpected closeness, "but Macavity is something else. And I don't want to imagine what he'd do with the two of you. Telepathy and reality alteration. No wonder he wants you so badly."

The tense atmosphere was fortunately interrupted by Jenny who nudged Tugger's side, making him leap back and squirm. Quaxo noticed with a barely contained glee that the tall man might be ticklish. "Now now. You're not here just for tea and a morning horror story," she teased and blatantly ignored Tugger's look of hurt dignity. "Come on, let's meet the rest of the troupe!"

The siblings stood up and carefully approached the dark entrance to the circus tent, Victoria with barely contained excitement, Quaxo with his usual caution. The place might turn out to be their new home...or a trap. That was their usual conflict of personalities, Victoria hopeful and trusting, Quaxo...not so much. Still, he found himself wanting to believe these people, despite his better judgement.

"Oh come on, they don't bite!" growled Tugger and pushed them inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god, it has been SO LONG. I am so sorry! Work and family problems kept me from writing even though I really wanted to work on this story. Thank you everyone who left kudos or comments, I really, really appreciate it.


	7. The Company

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quaxo and Victoria meet the troupe, two sets of twins included.

Quaxo prided himself on having an exceptionally good memory. He didn't need any notes, reminders, scribbles on his forearms or whatever people did to keep track of things, he just always knew what he had to do and when to do it. When Victoria asked him about it (and actually forced him to think about it, not letting him get away with is usual shrug and mischievous "it's magic!"), he realized, much to his dismay, that it was partially in his nature, but more importantly, he was just always focused. He found it much more difficult to relax than his sister did, distrusting everyone and everything. Always knowing where he stood helped him feel better, prepared. He was not the one to be lulled into a false sense of security.

And then he walked into that tent. And he felt...calm. And his uneasiness about Macavity and all the things he had to do before their performance just...became muted. Floated away. He was fully in the present, relaxed, not multitasking. And he hated it. He stopped in his tracks, trying to make sense of what he was feeling. It was reminiscent of what he felt the night before. 

Tugger tapped on his shoulder from behind. "Really, Mr. Magician. No one here wants to harm you - at least unless you keep blocking the entrance, then you might cause some mild annoyance and perhaps a few pranks if you catch the attention of a certain duo - so cheer up and move your feet," he winked at the younger man and, without waiting for a response, nudged Quaxo's side. What left Quaxo's lips was definitely not a squeak and he was definitely not ticklish, but he never approved of being touched without prior agreement (or, if he was to be fully honest, by anyone who wasn't Victoria), so he took several strides inside and crossed his arms. Just to make sure. 

Victoria was already exploring the tent, her eyes huge and full of wonder. I've never been to a circus before, she smiled at Jenny, rubbing her wrists as if she wanted to touch everything, to truly get a feel of the place. Such a large stage! I can't wait to see this place during a show!

"Still too small for some," Jenny returned her smile, her eyes travelling to Tugger with an unusually mischievous spark. "Just a bit further, dear. The tent is indeed impressive, but the most interesting feature of our show are the performers. Don't you want to meet them first?" 

And truly, as the siblings got used to the muted lighting, they saw that there were figures seated all around, quietly chatting and glancing in their direction. It was still too dim to see their faces properly, but some features were very distinguishable - there were two figures next to each other, a man and woman of roughly the same age as Quaxo and Victoria, very similar - twins? Their hair was giving a coppery reflection and, unlike others who seemed to be nervous or at least expectant, these two seemed relaxed, sometimes giggling and nudging each other. Their movements were strangely synchronized. Just behind them, a silhouette of a man with crossed arms could be seen, with an air of defiance. He was watching the two with apparent distaste for their laid-back attitude. There were more performers present, but as they finally entered the circus ring, Quaxo recognized Munkustrap's silhouette near the back of the tent. He was supporting someone, a tall, impressive figure, who was approaching them with slow and careful steps. The humming around the tent intensified. 

"Thank you for coming," smiled Munkustrap and Quaxo could finally confirm his suspicion that it was indeed him whose calming aura was throwing him off. He bit his lower lip and twitched in annoyance when he heard Tugger's quiet chuckle, as if he knew exactly what Quaxo was feeling. With a side glance, he saw the man take one of the seats at the back, observing from afar. 

As he assisted the tall man and seated him on one of the close chairs, the siblings could finally see his face. He must have been very old, his wrinkled face told as much - but the air of experience, wisdom and most of all, kindness, made Quaxo drawn to that man, not in the unnaturally calming way Munkustrap influenced him, but as someone he yearned to learn from, to draw inspiration. Victoria seemed to be feeling the same way, her breathing quiet and eyes never leaving the old man's. And when he spoke, both siblings suddenly understood why he was able to create this so-called haven for people with powers. It was impossible to resist his charm. 

"Thank you for accepting our invitation." His smile was sincere and voice deep and calming. "I am called Old Deuteronomy and it was at my request that my sons visited you yesterday. As they told you, we are a...particular company. This circus originally started as a small place to allow our kind to be who we really are without having to hide. That is the goal we still have today. If you decide to accept our proposal, the people in this tent will become more than your coworkers - they will be your colleagues, neighbors, friends and family. Because of that, you will want to meet them before making the final decision. I am also here to answer any questions you may have, may it be regarding our circus, your powers or anything else." He nodded towards Munkustrap. "I understand that you, young lady, are a telepath?" 

Victoria nodded and, to Quaxo's surprise, stuttered in her response despite not using her vocal chords. _Y-yes! Yes, Old Deuteronomy. Well, I mean, I can project thoughts when I move...but not read them. So only half a telepath, or one-way telepath, I am afraid..._

Old Deuteronomy chuckled and winked at her. "Well, that is still half a telepath more than most people are! Splendid! You would be a great asset to our troupe. And you, young man?" 

Quaxo, to his displeasure, felt all gazes shifting towards him. He felt as if he were under a microscope. "I...don't think I can describe it that much," he grumbled uncomfortably. "I can change some things around me. Swap things in their places, make some fortunate or unfortunate things happen when there is a chance they could happen. Or enhance some features."

The old man's expression did not change, but his eyes showed deep interest. "Curious. Some kind of reality adjustment then? That is very interesting! You too are more than welcome to join our group if you want to. Now then, is there anything I can answer for you?" 

Before Quaxo could react, Victoria took a step forward. _Yes, well...I would like to know - why us? What causes these powers to appear?_

"A good question, one that I can answer only partially, I am afraid. The gifts, as we call them, are still a mystery in many regards. There are various type, be it some kind of aura that one can spread around them, or an active ability. Anyone can manifest these powers. However, if a child is born to a parent with a gift, they are much more likely to have one of their own. They do not seem to repeat themselves, at least we haven't seen a single person who would manifest the same trait as someone in our troupe. They can be similar, but always unique in a certain regard. There seems to be one exception to the rule, and that is twins sharing one gift." 

The two giggling figures Quaxo saw earlier suddenly bolted up from their seats and took overly dramatic bows, grinning at the stunned siblings. Light finally hit their faces and Victoria took a deep breath at the similarity - both their expressions, their movements, it was as if one person split into two, only of different genders. "Old D. means us!" exclaimed the man and ruffled his sister's hair. "Pleasure to meet you! We are Mungojerrie and-ouf!" he wheezed when the girl's elbow nudged his side. 

"And Rumpleteazer!" she exclaimed, returning the ruffle. "And before you have to ask, because that's what every newbie wants to know, our gift is sharing control over our bodies. For instance, I can make Jerrie slap himself! But I don't like to do it, because we also share pain. Also tickling. I hate it when he tickles himself." 

"I only do it when you deserve it, Teazer," snickered Mungojerrie and leaned against his sister. "And if you think we're an exception and that not all twins have to share a gift, let me introduce our competition. Because we're not the only twins here. Come on, say hi to the newcomers!" he tapped the shoulder of a girl in front of him. 

Reluctantly, she stood up and so did the man next to her. Their height difference wasn't as noticeable compared to Teazer and Jerrie, but their features were also surprisingly similar - the same straight dark hair, slicked back and shiny, the same dark, unreadable eyes and neutral expression. "Nice to meet you, Quaxo and Victoria," she said without blinking. Victoria shivered next to Quaxo and he too felt completely bare under those two pairs of eyes. "I am Tantomile. This is my brother Coricopat. We are mind readers." 

Now it was the brother who spoke. "Yes, Victoria. We are what Old Deuteronomy talked about - similar power, but still unique. We are the other half of your telepathy. Except for each other." 

"Our minds are connected," added Tantomile, answering Quaxo's question before he could phrase it. "We can exchange our thoughts freely, but as for others, we can only read them. But don't worry, we usually choose not to, as we perceive it an invasion of privacy." 

Teazer hugged the telepathic twins from behind. "They are amazing! You definitely want to see their act, people are so freaked out!" 

Jenny laughed and raised her finger at Teazer. "And they are very useful when someone, not mentioning which set of non-mindreading twins, steals Munkustrap's favorite mug and we need to find out who did it." 

The man sitting behind Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer scoffed. "Not that we need anyone to read their thoughts to figure that out. It's always them, whenever there's a disruption." 

He ignored the pretended outrage from the twins, but Jenny didn't let him off the hook so easily. "Now now, Plato. Since you are more talkative than usual, why don't you introduce yourself as well?" 

With a grunt and poorly hidden, if hidden at all, distaste, the man stood up. He was taller than most of the troupe members, perhaps with the exception of Old Deuteronomy and his sons, and even though he was young, his face seemed older than one would expect. Perhaps it was his defiant expression that made him look almost pained. "Plato, welcome to our humble abode. I have perhaps the lamest power ever - I can transfer emotions when I move." He glared at the siblings, as if he expected them to laugh at him. 

_Why would that be lame?_ blinked Victoria, raising her eyebrows. _Do you think my power is lame?_

The defiance was immediately replaced by confusion. "...I...what? No, no I don't, I mean..." 

Victoria smiled at him with such sincerity and innocence that Quaxo almost felt sorry for the man. He was utterly unprepared for her charm. _You have no idea how happy it makes me to finally find someone who has a similar power! And such an awesome one at that! When you give people words, you still need to rely on them to interpret them. But you - you can make people feel things! That is incredible!_

Old Deuteronomy burst into laughter and so did a few performers around the stage. "See, Plato? We kept telling you and you did not believe us. Perhaps this admirable young lady will finally make you change your mind?" 

And with that, the atmosphere in the tent changed. The reluctant acceptance transformed into excitement - finally, a new arrival! Apparently, there were only a few people who joined the circus in the last years, so Quaxo and Victoria were considered a breath of fresh air. And the siblings shook hands, talked, but mostly listened and learned about the people who, if they wanted them to be, would become their new family. 

They learned (from Jenny because the man could not be bothered to tell them himself) that Tugger was able to bend people to his will, although he wasn't able to control it, he did it subconsciously. "He doesn't like to talk about it," she teased, watching the rebellious man giving her an evil glare, "because he still hasn't found out how the gift works. The ones who were around him since he was young build some sort of an immunity, or at least awareness when it starts happening so we can fight it. You have no idea how long it took us to make him eat his vegetables when he was a child. His gift mostly works on people he doesn't live with, or at least that meet him sporadically - those can't resist it. Or that's what we thought until last night," she giggled and winked at Quaxo. "Still, it has its merits. He has one of the most unique acts in the circus, as you'll see. And my power? I am afraid it's nowhere as interesting, dears - I can transfer intent. Basically, if you mean no harm to a person and they still don't believe you, I can persuade them by making them feel what you feel towards them." 

There was Alonzo, a man with a curious pigment spot over his entire left eye socket. He casually greeted the siblings and mentioned his gift - the marked eye could see several seconds into the future, sometimes even longer. He used to work as a fortune teller at fairs before joining the circus and took over the knife-throwing act. His gift made sure he'd never harm his assistant. 

Munkustrap also approached them with a wide smile and, seeing Quaxo's posture, forced himself to relax and eased the calm aura. He explained that his gift was calming people in his vicinity, no matter how agitated they were. As he was in charge of keeping the troupe functional and in good spirits, he sometimes went a bit overboard, especially when he was nervous and expected trouble. "Not that I expected trouble from you," he quickly added when he saw Quaxo staring daggers at him, "but whenever there is a newcomer, people can get nervous." 

And when it came to being nervous, no one was as jumpy as a certain young woman was. Demeter was also a newcomer and apparently, she had some very bad experience. She didn't talk to the newcomers much, mostly just nodded and didn't leave her friend Bombalurina's side. Munkustrap politely mentioned that it would be better to talk to both of them later, as crowds made Demeter feel uneasy. Nodding at Bombalurina, she took her friend's arm and led her out from the tent. 

There were many more new faces and names and even more mentioned, such as Bustopher Jones, the circus's patron who only stopped by once or twice a week, as his gift made him easily overwhelmed - he read emotions and senses, but unlike the telepathic twins, he could not switch his power off and would often seek solitude, just to quiet his mind. 

After the conversations have quieted down and everyone said their hopeful goodbyes, the siblings were left alone with Munkustrap and Old Deutoronomy. Quaxo was pretty sure Tugger and Jenny were still lurking somewhere in the tent's shadows, but he found it difficult to focus on anything but the old man. "Now, my young friends - we do not ask you to decide immediately, we know that it is a significant change of your lifestyle. Think it over, you have every right do so

* * *

_So what do you think?_ Victoria asked on their way home. Quaxo didn't need to ask her for her opinion, she was never able to hide her excitement - she was giddy and radiated such happiness that Quaxo hasn't seen in months. 

"I think they were...nice," he admitted reluctantly. "Also pretty interesting. Sometimes creepy," he admitted when he remembered Coricopat and Tantomile. "Are you thinking of joining them?" 

_I would love to,_ Victoria admitted, but her smile wavered. _I mean, they were such nice people! And interesting too, as you said. But...I would never join without you, brother. I don't want a new family if you're not in it._

Quaxo grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "Me too, sis. Let's talk to our boss tomorrow and see what he can do about our contract, what do you say? Perhaps it's time for us to move on." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am running out of excuses to give for my slow updates. The only thing I can say is that I love hearing from you guys, I have many ideas for the story but unfortunately life is getting in way of everything, to provide a very short explanation, one of my family members got a cancer relapse and my mother is not doing so well. I try to spend more time with her and support her, but it doesn't leave me in the best state for writing. Thank you everyone who read so far and who hasn't given up on the story yet, you mean more to me than I can describe. This chapter was mostly character introductions and exposure, hopefully there will be some action in the next ones.


End file.
